Siddhartha (film)

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Siddhartha
Directed by	Conrad Rooks
Written by	Conrad Rooks
Starring	Shashi Kapoor Simi Garewal Romesh Sharma
Cinematography	Sven Nykvist
Running time	89 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Siddhartha (1972) is a film based on the novel of the same name by Herman Hesse, directed by Conrad Rooks. It was shot on location in Northern India, and features work by noted cinematographer Sven Nykvist. Simi Garewal's appearance in the film as the courtesan Kamala caused controversy in India, in particular because she appeared nude in one scene; the Indian Censor Board, at that time, did not even permit on-screen kissing in Indian films. [1].

The locations used for the film were the holy city of Rishikesh and the private estates and palaces of the Maharajah of Bharatpur. [2].

[edit] Plot

The film tells the story of the young Brahmin Siddhartha (played by Shashi Kapoor), born in the Brahmin (preistly) caste, and his search for a meaningful way of life. This search takes him through periods of harsh asceticism, sensual pleasures, material wealth, then self-revulsion and eventually to the oneness and harmony with himself that he had been seeking. Siddhartha learns that the secret of life cannot be passed on from one person to another, but must be achieved through inner experience.